Ghost
by Dragon Flame
Summary: Five years after the end of the series, the former crew of Bebop get a nighttime visit from an old friend. I hate summeries, just read it.


Taadaa! Yet another new fic that I'll forget to update! This one's my first Bebop fic, so gimme a break. It was written out of sheer boredom, so don't expect much. Might be a one-shot, might be a full-fledged fic, I haven't decided yet. Innawoo, this takes place five years after the end of the series (I haven't seen any Bebop movies yet, I want to though). That's about it. Ja ne!  
  
___±§§±§§±___ Morning. Morning is always a nice time here. No rock chasing, no hacking, no running around. Unfortunately, it won't last. As soon as those three wake up, life will be all eggs and excitement. I'm actually very surprised at how nice my life is. I'm treated as part of a family, even though the men tend to forget about Ed and me. I mean, "Françoise." I don't care what her dad says; Edward is the perfect name for her. Françoise, really. I don't think Ed likes it either; she still refers to herself as Ed.  
  
I wonder if she misses space as much as I do. I never found out what happened to Jet and Spike. I think Faye got her memories back, but that's all I know about the three. I miss them. It's been so long since that first day when Spike caught my kidnapper. They never found out why he wanted me, I think. They knew I had a sixth sense for that sort of thing, but Ed's the only one who actually saw me help them. And Jet thought it was her doing! Their kind is so self-centered.  
  
I hear footsteps. Very soft footsteps. Surely the men aren't up already? They don't usually get up until eleven! Maybe it's a burglar. Who would want to steal from us? We have nothing of value, just that meteor tracker the men use. I bet they just don't know what we have, and don't care either. They'll kill us all! Maybe he's a crook with a nice bounty on his head. We could use some money, and Ed still knows how to deal with crooks. Or better yet, maybe the bounty will lure in Spike and Jet and Faye! It would be great to see them again. I bet it's just a common thief. I'm letting my imagination get the best of me.  
  
There he is, all tall and graceful with that poofy. green. hair? Spike! How? He should be in space! If he's here, then where's Jet and Faye? Why didn't he knock or anything? And most importantly, why is he transparent? People should not be transparent! Maybe I'm dreaming. Well, I'll just have to find out.  
  
He's standing by Ed's bed. I don't think he recognises her. I don't blame him. The thirteen-year-old girl he knew doesn't have any resemblence to her now. Her hair is about shoulder length, and brushed! She still only wears white shirts and black shorts, however. The biggest difference is she'll never ever have anybody ask her what gender she is, like she used to. It's quite obvious, and she's had plenty of boys drool over her.  
  
I approach them silently. I don't want Spike to know I'm here yet. I'll give them some time to talk, if he ever wakes her up. He strokes her cheek. Or tries to. Did his hand just pass through her? *Ghost.* The word goes through me with a shudder. Is Spike dead? After all that, he's dead? For how long? How did it happen? What the heck is he doing here?  
  
Ed rolls over, startling both of us. "Spike-person?" She mutters, opening her eyes. He smiles.  
  
"Hey, Ed."  
  
She leaps off her bed, fully awake now. "Spike-person!" She exclaims enthusiasticly. "Spike-person, you're here! Edward missed you. Did Spike bring Edward presents? Where's Faye-Faye and Jet-person?" I stifle a chuckle. Same old Edward. Her body might have changed, but her spirit was just the same. Spike tries to reply, but Ed just jumps around the room, yelling, "Here here here here! Spike-person's here! Edward is sooooooo happy!"  
  
I'm surprised the men haven't woken yet. With Ed making this much raket, I'd expect the whole planet to be awake. Spike finally gets her to calm down.  
  
"Ed, be quiet! I don't want everyone to be awake!" She promptly shuts up. "Listen, I only have a bit of time left here, so here's the story in a nutshell; I'm dead, I have been for five years. I'm just here to say good- bye."  
  
This surprises me, but Ed just nods, as if she was expecting something like that. "Why Spike wait so long to visit? If dead five years, why didn't Spike visit Ed earlier?"  
  
He grins sheepishly. "Didn't have time. I've been waiting to get into heaven for all this time. After I finally got through the line to get in, they had to judge me. After that, they allowed me to say my final goodbyes, starting on Earth."  
  
Edward nods. She obviously finds this acceptable. "So Spike-person hasn't seen Jet-person and Faye-Faye yet?"  
  
He shakes his head. "I'm seeing them as soon as I finish up here."  
  
Edward smiles. "Say hi for Ed! Ed has to go now, breakfast time!" She hops nimbly off the bed and runs into the kitchen. Spike just shakes his head and leaves for the exit. I follow. He still hasn't noticed me. I suddenly realise he has a pale yellow ring floating above his head.  
  
We're outside now. Not to my surprise, he sits down and takes out a cigarette. I decide it's time to make my presence known. I bark. He looks around for the source of the sound. His gaze comes to a stop on me.  
  
"Hey, Ein." I smile as he scratches me behind my ears. I'm glad he's mellowed out. He used to hate me. "How long have you been watching?"  
  
*Long enough,* I say, but of course he can't hear me.  
  
"Actually, I can. When I got sent back, they allowed me to be able to talk to anything living. I had a nice chat with a lizard and a banzai tree before I came here."  
  
I try to figure out if he's joking or not, but there's no way to tell, there never has been. *It's nice to see you again,* I say after a while.  
  
"You too." More silence. He finally gets up. "I have to go now," he tells me.  
  
*I know.*  
  
He walks away, hands in pockets, head down, cigarette nearly gone. His silloette fades away into the rising sun.  
  
*See you, space cowboy.*  
  
As I turn to go inside, Edward leaps outside. "C'mon Ein! Edward's going after Spike-person!"  
  
She grabbes a random motorcycle. Since when was that there? Ah well. I leap into her pack and she puts it on her back. (A/N, the same way they traveled in Mushroom Samba). We start up and speed off towards the nearest space port. She has her goggles on, which means we're 'borrowing' a ship.  
  
"Françoise! Françoise, where are you going? Françoise!"  
  
Ed turns back to our former home. "Bye-bye father-person! Edwards going into space! Bye-byeeeeeee!" ___±§§±§§±___  
  
Okay, I've decided. There will be two more chapters at the very least. One for Jet and Faye, and one as a epilogue. Ja ne!  
  
- Dragon Flame. 


End file.
